Refrigerating apparatus



Jan. 22, 1929.-

H. W. WOLVERTON REFRIGERATNG APPARATUS Filed Nov. 12, m25

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l GUM u c1541 Jan. 22, 1929.

H. W. WOLVERTON RERIGEHATING APPARATUS Filed Nov.'l2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 22, 192.9.

UNI-risoV STATES NPini-:rrr OFFICE.

CORPORA- TION, A CORPORATION F DELAWARE.

REFRIGERATIG ArPARA'rUs.

l Application filed November 12, 1925. Serial No. 68,700.

The' present invention relates to refrigerating systems and particularly to systems having a plurality of cooling compartments.

One object of the present invention is toy cool a plurality'of refrigerating systems to different refrigerating temperatures respectively. l

In carrying out the above object, it is a further object to control the flow of refrigerating medium in the cooling units .of the different cooling compartments. One manner of carrying out this object is to impede the i'low of refrigerating medium from one of the cooling units relative to the flow of refrigeratin medium from another unit.

Another o ject of the present `invention is to control the circulation of refrigerating medium in response to the temperature of the compartment being cooled by said' medium.

Other and further objects of the present '1nvention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein/a preferred form -of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the improved refrigerating system showing, merely for illustration purpose only, a compartment g for cooling ice cream or the like in which a relatively cold temperature is desired, and a compartment for cooling beverages in which a relatively warm temperature is desired.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of a valve used in the system, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the valve sh-own in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularl to Fig. 1 there is shown a compressor riven by a motor 11. The circuit to the motor is controlled by a switch 12. The low pressure side of the compressor is connected with a pipe 13 while the high pressure side is connected with a condenser coil 14. Coil 14 is cooled by any suitable means as by immersion in a water tank 15 through which the water circulates.

A refrigerator cabinet 16 is divided into a plurality of compartments 17, 18 and 19. Compartment 17 is spaced from compartment 18 by an insulating wall 20 and a metal wall 21 is provided between compartments 18 and 19. Compartments 17 and 18 contain liquid `25 is connected with such as brine, which liquid has a freezing point below that of water.

The brine within compartment 17'is utilized for coolingice cream or the like contalned within a can 23. Compartment 19 `may contain water in which coils for drinkingwater and beverages are immersed one of which coils is shown at 24.

Compartments 17 and 18 each receive evaporators 25 and 26 respectively. The evaporators may be of the type in which the flow of refrigerant to each is controlled by a float which is responsive to the level of refrigerant 1n the evaporator. Evaporator 25 is connected with pipe 13 by pipe 28 and evaporator- 26 1s connected with pipe 13 by pipe 29, valve 30, and pipe 21. 'lhe inlet for evaporator 32 and the inletfor evaporator 26 is connected with pipe 32. I

When the compressor is operated, 1"efrig verant willbe withdrawn from the evapora` tors and forced under pressure into the condenser where it is condensed and then delivered to the evaporators. The iiow of rerigerant from eyaporator 26 is. impeded by valve vwhen the temperature of the brine in compartment. 18 is reduced to a certain deree.

Valve 30 comprises a body 35 having chambers 36and 37 which are connected respectively with pipes 29 and 31. A wall 38 is lo-- cated between these chambers and has a port 40 for establishing' intercommunication between said chambers. Port 40 provides a seat for a valve 41.v vThe valve 41 extends through condenser coil 14 by pipe a wall ofyalve body 35and is surrounded by packing which is held in place by a gland 43.

A connecting member 44 has its lower end bored and tapped to receive the threaded upper end of the gland 43. The upper end of member 44 is recessed as at 45 to receive a 'spring 46 which spring is interposed between `member 44 and a'spring abutment 47 suitably The top of bellows 52 carries a plate 57 through which the bolts pass thus holding the top of the bellows stationary while the spring 53 tends to move the bottom of the bellows upwardly to collapse same. That portion of the connecting member 44 which eX- tends below socket 48 is provided with a tool hold 58 by which said member can be turned to raise or lower same whereby to increase or decrease the tension of the spring 53.

A bulb 60 is immersed within the brine in the compartment 18 and is connected by a pipe 61, charging valve 62, and pipe 63 with the bellows 52. The bulb 60, pipe 61, charging valve 62, pipe 63 and bellows 52 contain a quantity of volatile liquidv and since the bulb y 60 is immersed within the brine, it is responsive to the temperature of compartment. Thus increase and decrease of temperature within the compartment 18 will cause expansion and contraction respectively of bellows 52. The bottom of bellows 52 carries boss 65 which is adapted to engage the abutment 47 of valve 41. Expansion of the bellows 52 vwill cause the valve to open and when the bellows collapses .a certain amount, 'the spring 46 will close valve 41. The tension of spring 53 can be adjusted so that the bellows will collapse sufficientlyv to permit the valve to close at any desired-pressure within bellows 52 eand consequently any desired temperature of the brine within compartment18.

When the valve 41 is closed or partly closed, the flow of refrigerant from evaporator 26 is impeded thus impeding the heat transfer between the brine within compartment 18 and the evaporator. In this manner the tempera' ture of the brinewill not fall below a predetermined degree.

The automatic switch 12 for startingand stopping the compressor is responsive to the temperature within compartment 17 Suitable pressure responsive mechanism (not shown) is adapted to open and close the motor circuit and this mechanism is controlled by pressure within a pipe 67 which is connected with a bulb 68 containing a volatile Huid and immersed within the brine in compartment 17. During the operation of the system, when the temperature of brine within the compartment 18 falls to a predetermined degree, the flow of refrigerant from evaporator 26 will be impeded and the flow of refrigerant from the evaporator 25 is not impaired but continuous until theI temperature of the brine falls to a predetermined degree. Itis apparent that the adjustment of the valve 30 may be such that any desired degree of temperature may be attained within compartment 18 and a lower temperature can be attained in the compartment 17 Thus a single refrigerating system has been provided for maintaining a plurality of compartments at different temperaturesl while only one compressor and condenser mechanism is necessary.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is Itobe understood that other forms4 might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

' What is claimed is as follows:

A. refrigerating apparatus having a compartment to be cooled, means for cooling said compartment comprising a chamber disposed within said compartment for receiving a cooling medium, inlet and outlet pipes for conducting the cooling medium to and from said cooling chamber, and means responsive to the temperature in said compartment forvarying the flow of the cooling medium in said outlet pipe, said last mentioned means comprising a gas pressure bulb within said compartment, an expansible chamber associated with said outlet pipe, and a conduit connecting said bulb' with said last mentioned chamber.

In testimony whereof I-hereunto affix my signature.

. HERBERT W.WOLVERTON. 

